Hope AMC: Comprehensive paediatric care under one roof
How this first-of-its-kind center works for the development and well-being of children
In conversation with Amal Tolba, Managing Director of Hope AMC
Could you tell us about Hope AMC?
Hope AMC is a full-fledged paediatric medical facility covering both medical care and the rehabilitation aspects of treatment to address children’s overall well-being.
Hope AMC has a state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure complete with experienced medical practitioners as well as allied health staff. Our clinics division has renowned doctors covering the areas of general paediatrics, paediatric gastroenterology, paediatric neurology, genetics, orthopedics and osteopathy, while our rehabilitation unit offers various types of innovative therapy techniques from around the world, including physical, occupational, speech, feeding as well as mental health support.
Raising children — even when it comes to neuro-typical kids — is not an easy task, with parents commonly facing many challenges along the way. Hope was born from my experience as a mother of three children and my understanding that parenthood is a journey, where we need guidance along the way.
In 2017, we started Hope AMC as a rehabilitation centre, introducing therapies and treatment approaches that were not available in the Middle East earlier. As a parent with a child of determination, I travelled around the world to explore new therapies and help my child have a good quality of life. I founded Hope AMC to offer the world’s most effective therapies under one roof, giving children in the UAE a better chance in life. Today, Hope AMC has become an all children’s retreat, the go-to place for parents where they can find answers to all their concerns about children’s health — no matter how severe or insignificant they are.
Raising children — even when it comes to neuro-typical kids — is not an easy task, with parents commonly facing many challenges along the way. Hope was born from my experience as a mother of three children and my understanding that parenthood is a journey, where we need guidance along the way.
What is Hope’s treatment approach for any problem?
We have a medical director in our team, who is a physician with over 15 years of experience in the fields of physical medicine as well as rehabilitation. He is the first point of contact for any patient, liaising with the medical team and the therapy team. The child is able to get a full diagnosis of the problem at Hope and we can also help him with the prognosis of the condition. We then guide the patient to the right medical staff and the therapy school, deciding on the treatment plan for the concern.
Whether your child is down with a reflux disease, has general concerns such as headache and back pain or is suffering from a common mental disorder or a genetic disorder or a developmental delay that requires therapies, we have the solutions for all. At Hope, we don’t just look at the symptoms of a disease. Instead, we analyse the symptoms or illness within a bigger picture. Before recommending a therapy to a child, we consider several important factors, including structural, psychological and behavioural issues, to create an appropriate intervention programme. We even provide genetic counselling to families when needed.
What’s unique about your intensive therapy programme for children with special needs?
Our intensive therapy programme is very popular, drawing patients from the Indian subcontinent, GCC countries, Turkey and CIS nations to our centre. This three-week condensed programme, offered throughout the year, has a combination of occupational, physical, feeding, and speech and language therapies. It is beneficial for many disorders. We customise the programme according to the specific requirements and treatment goals of a child.
This therapy also involves a comprehensive home programme package, giving parents clear guidelines on how they can help kids practice the skills at home, acquired during the therapy session at the centre. During the home care process, parents can reach us through emails, texts and video conference consultations free of charge.
The intensive therapy is very economical for families, giving them faster, tangible and better results than traditional therapies. We have offered this to over 130 patients over the past two years.
Apart from the intensive programme, we have a range of therapies and approaches to help children overcome many challenges. These include physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, Lego therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder, feeding therapy, a tube weaning programme, ABA therapy, handwriting programme and mental health support services.
Our strength lies in the fact that our team is able to offer the full medical support for any paediatric issue. Our doctors and therapists work closely with the parents to set therapeutic goals for their children and achieve the best possible results.
Finally, why Hope and what does the concept of abilitation mean?
Hope is the literal translation of my name in Arabic and I wanted to have a place that would truly offer families hope for a better future.
We use the word abilitation to describe what Hope is all about — a complete medical facility focused on giving children new abilities and skills that they didn’t have earlier. We are here to empower children with new life skills everyday.
Parents Speak
During the therapy, we noticed a massive change in my daughter, Nora, becoming more confident and independent.
We travelled from Mumbai to Dubai for the intensive therapy programme at Hope. I must highlight that the team at Hope did a fantastic job. During the therapy, we noticed a massive change in my daughter, Nora, becoming more confident and independent. She was able to manoeuvre around the space, her balance improved and the team created a very positive environment during the session, which also helped improve her condition.
— Pooja Khanna
Hope is not just a medical or an intervention centre — this is a place where your dreams come true.
Hope is not just a medical or an intervention centre — this is a place where your dreams come true. We opted for two weeks of intensive therapy at Hope and this was one of wisest decisions that I have taken for my child. The team put their heart and soul on my child, encouraging him to work hard. The team pushed him to go beyond his limits.
— Tanu Arora
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